In
a basketball game, when things are going poorly and the coach
doesn't like the way his team is performing, he instructs his
players to call a "time out." At this point, the game
is stopped for a few minutes while the coach huddles with the
team to discuss adjustments needed to get the players back on-track
and performing more effectively. Of course, during the "time
out," the coach also points out what the players are doing
right - which helps to reinforce their positive behavior.

Here's the
question: How often in your life do you call a "time out"
to review what is working for you and to put to an end to what
isn't? Probably not often enough. Unfortunately, we tend to become
entrenched in habits that are not moving us in the direction of
our goals. Life is continually providing feedback, however, and
it is up to you to become aware of these useful clues - to learn
from the results your producing and to make any changes necessary.

Common
Stumbling Blocks

What follows
are some common stumbling blocks that prevent us from attaining
the success we desire. When calling a "time out," look
to see if you are:

Lacking
clarity about what you want. Your
mind is a goal-seeking mechanism and responds best to specific
targets and pictures. Vague wishes about having a "more
fulfilling" job or earning "more money" aren't
effective. Decide, precisely, what will fulfill you and exactly
how much money you want to earn.

Trying
to achieve too much at once. Having
too many goals is the other extreme. If you try to tackle five
major projects at once, you'll probably fail to succeed at any
of them. Spreading yourself out scatters your energy and diminishes
your power. Concentrate on one major goal at a time; laser-like
focus is a necessary element for success.

Not
taking enough action. Most significant achievements take considerable effort. You
can't just sit back and hope that success comes to you.

Stubbornly
sticking with a losing strategy. Lets
assume that you are trying to market your product or service
and you've implemented Plan A. After three months, Plan A is
yielding very disappointing results, with no signs of improvement.
Examine why Plan A isn't working and develop a new plan. This
sounds obvious, and yet many people stick with unsuccessful
strategies.

Not
taking advantage of the knowledge of qualified people.
While "trial and error" sometimes works, you'll waste
a lot of time and resources in the process. Instead, you can
get back on course quickly by seeking help or advice from someone
who has achieved what you want to achieve. Remember to ask qualified
individuals - not a friend or relative who knows little or nothing
about solving your particular problem.

Hampered
by limiting beliefs. If you are dominated by negative thoughts, you can't possibly
produce positive results on a consistent basis. Who controls
what you think about? You do. As motivational speaker Brian
Tracy urges, you must develop the mind-set that you are unstoppable!

Refusing
to confront the problem. You've waited five years
and your problem hasn't solved itself. Will you wait another
five years, hoping that things will turn out differently? Things
don't change unless you change. It may be that you have to confront
your situation head-on, even if this choice will cause some
temporary pain and hardship. Your other option - do absolutely
nothing and continue to live with your problem.

Trying
to skip rungs on the latter. In our excitement to reach bold objectives, we sometimes delude
ourselves into believing that we won't have to climb the ladder
of success in increments. Instead, We think we can immediately
soar to new heights. When this doesn't happen, however, we get
discouraged. You need to remember that, as Zig Ziglar often
says, "the elevator to success is out of order. You have
to take the stairs." So, be patient and set realistic intermediate
goals. After all, success is achieved one step at a time.

It makes no
sense to just bull ahead doing the same things and expecting the
results to change. Live your life consciously. Examine regularly
what's working and what isn't, then quickly make the necessary
adjustments.

Here's an
idea...why not call "time out" right now? Evaluate your
results, adjust your actions, then step back into the court with
powerful, fresh, new strategies for achieving your goals.